Foligno being added to the COVID-19 reserve list means that he will not be available for Sunday's rematch with the Avalanche. With him out, the Wild will need to recall someone from their taxi squad.
Johnson was an undrafted free agent who spent last year in Rockford (AHL), picking up four goals and four assists (eight points) in 52 games. Johnson will replace Nicolas Beaudin, who dressed as a No.7 defenseman on Friday but was added to the COVID-19 protocol list on Saturday.
Boyd appeared in 85 NHL games with the Capitals since 2018 but will make his Maple Leafs debut in Calgary. The 27-year-old will replace Jason Spezza in the lineup and skate on the Maple Leafs fourth line.
After sitting out of the season opener, Shore dressed in the last six games but will be scratched and go to the taxi squad on Tuesday. With Shore out, Jujhar Khaira will draw back onto the Oilers fourth line in Winnipeg.
Middleton sat out of the season opener but will make his season debut in the rematch on Saturday afternoon. Middleton, who had two assists in 10 games last year, will replace Nicolas Meloche and skate with Nikolai Knyzhov on the third pair.
Edmonton was in trouble with Mike Smith going on LTIR and Anton Forsberg getting claimed off of waivers but claiming Grosenick gives them a veteran backup with a little NHL experience. The 31-year-old went 20-9-3 with a 2.29 GAA and .920 SV% in 33 AHL games a season ago and most likely leaps over Stuart Skinner as the Oilers’ new No.2 netminder.
Shore has bounced around the NHL in recent years, going from Dallas to Anaheim to Columbus since 2019 and now lands in Edmonton. The 26-year-old centre had five goals and seven assists (12 points) in 45 games in 2020 and appears destined to start the 2021 season on the Oilers taxi squad.
Foligno has picked up 26 goals and 41 assists in 218 games over the last three seasons, including a career-high 25 points (11G / 14A) in 59 games a season ago. Foligno is often found among the hits leaders and has become a key part of the Wild's bottom-6. Look for him to open the 2021 season on the third-line with Joel Eriksson Ek and Jordan Greenway.
Rossi's seven-day quarantine after arriving from the World Juniors has ended but the Wild unexpectedly announced that he is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury without ever practicing with the team. Rossi was expected to start the season with the Wild and play the maximum six games before decided whether to keep him on the roster or send him back to Zurich (Swiss-A). Expect the Wild to provide another update after Rossi undergoes further testing.
Last Friday, the Minnesota Wild announced that Zuccarello underwent right arm surgery in Norway and no timetable for his return has been established. Zuccarello broke his right arm in his first game with the Dallas Stars back in 2019 and he missed five weeks. With Zuccarello expected to miss some time to start the season, expect Jordan Greenway to be elevated into a top-6 role.
Rossi was the No.9 overall pick in the latest NHL Draft after leading the OHL with 120 points (39G / 81A) in 56 games with the Ottawa 67's. With the OHL season in limbo, Rossi will probably get a chance to make the Wild out of training camp but he will likely go to the OHL once their season gets underway.
Gaudreau played 55 games with the Predators in 2019 but played the entire 2020 season in Milwaukee (AHL) where he had 11 goals and 17 assists (28 points) in 42 games. Gaudreau is a fourth line centre at most at the NHL-level and with that role filled in Pittsburgh, he'll be heading to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) to start 2021.
